University at Albany pitches $165M addition to governor

ALBANY - The state University at Albany is proposing to build a $165 million complex that will boost the college's enrollment by more than 1,300 students and add hundreds of jobs.

University officials presented their proposal this week to Gov. Andrew Cuomo and other state leaders. The university's proposal centers on the construction of a state-of-the-art research and development facility for emerging technologies and entrepreneurial leadership.

College officials say in addition to the hundreds of construction jobs the project will create, the finished complex would employ about 800 new faculty, researchers and campus support personnel.

The proposal is part of the New York SUNY 2020 challenge that combines construction money and other capital with the goal of moving the system's four university centers at Albany, Buffalo, Binghamton and Stony Brook to the top of national academic circles.